Carrying on a Family Legacy

Friday, 28 February 2020 08:19

Oxford County council presented Jeff and Diane Tribe from the Township of Norwich with the 2019 Stewardship Award. Honoured for converting a part of their property into a wetland project.

OXFORD COUNTY - Jeff and Diane Tribe of Norwich Township are the recipients of the 2019 Stewardship Award.

They were honoured at a recent Oxford County council meeting for converting a part of their property into a wetland project.

Jeff says they were pleased to be announced as one of the nominees.

"Phil Holst was the Ducks Unlimited representative that made the initial site visit and basically got the ball rolling on what initially was just going to be a hole in the ground, hoping to sling a few ducks down range, and turn it into a very cohesive wetland project."

Tribe also congratulated Gerard Pynenburg from Blandford-Blenheim who was the other nominee for this year's award. Pynenburg implemented measures to improve the health of the soil on his farm and productive water quality in the streams and rivers nearby.

The land was passed on down to Tribe from his parents.

Upon winning the award, he says it's a great way to carry on his family's legacy.

"This is a respect thing for my parents. The fact that we are now the stewards of the land and very cognizant that there are two more generations, right now, following us and we want to leave it in as good or better condition as we found it."

The Stewardship Award was introduced in 2009. Warden Larry Martin says it offers a sense of pride for everybody.

"Just the fact that you're nominated for the award is really something in itself. It shows that you're worried about the environment and protect the environment, and it factors in with the Stability Plan and the Sustainability Plan of Oxford County as well as far as clean air and water."

They were presented with a gift basket from WoodLynds Chocolate Shop, plus a $500 gift certificate towards original artwork from a local artist, Julie Hawkins.